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Vinodhraj’s ‘Kottukkaali’ is first Tamil film to premiere at Berlinale

According to Vinothraj, 'Kottukkaali' will be released in Indian theatres in the middle of 2024. The film stars Soori and Anna Ben.

ByPTI

Published Dec 15, 2023 | 5:07 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 15, 2023 | 5:07 PM

A poster of the film 'Kottukkaali'. (X)

Kottukkaali, a film directed by PS Vinothraj, known for his seminal debut film Koozhangal, will be the first Tamil film to get a world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) to be held from 15- 25 February 2024.

“We had already decided to enter the film in festivals and then release it in theatres in India. So, we sent it to all eligible festivals, including Berlinale. I feel quite honoured to be given a chance to premiere my film at such a famous festival,” Vinothraj told PTI.

Producer D Sivakarthikeyan released a statement heralding the film via X.

“Crafted on a global scale, this Tamil film stands as the first of its kind selected for a world premiere’ at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival, a source of deep pride for us,” read the statement.

#Kottukkaali (The Adamant Girl) becomes the first Tamil film to premiere at the prestigious #BerlinFilmFestival.

Congrats to it director @PsVinothraj, of #Pebbles fame, producer @Siva_Kartikeyan and actors @sooriofficial & #AnnaBen pic.twitter.com/F5zSr90DBi

— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) December 14, 2023

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Forum section

According to the Berlinale programme listed on their official website, Kottukkaali is a road film that explores religious fervour and misogyny in passing and will be showcased in the 54th Forum section.

“The Forum aims to expand the understanding of what a film is, to test the boundaries of convention and open up fresh perspectives to help grasp cinema and how it relates to the world in new ways,” says the explanation on the Berlinale website.

The section usually showcases 40 exceptional films from across the world.

So far, eight films, including Kottukkaali, have been selected for the Forum section.

Other films

The others are a film from Algeria by Abdenour Zahzah, Chroniques Fideles, on anti-racism; a film from Georgia by Lana Gogoberidze, Deda-Shvili, on her mother; a film from Spain by Macu Machin, La Hojarasca, on life in Canary Islands told through three sisters; a film from Latvia by Davis Simanis, Marijas Klusums on life in the Soviet Union; a biopic of avant-garde painter Maria Lassnig from Austria by Anja Salomonowitz, Mit Einem Tiger Schlafen; a film from Argentina by Lola Arias, Reas’, on lives in a Buenos Aires prison; and a film from Singapore by Jin Jiang, Republic’, which is about money, communism and the cosmos.

According to Vinothraj, Kottukkaali will be released in Indian theatres in the middle of 2024. The film stars Soori and Anna Ben.

Vinothraj’s debut film, India’s official Oscar entry for 2021, did not get a theatrical release despite winning many international awards. It was released directly on SonyLiv.

Tamil films Alaipaayuthe (2000) by Mani Ratnam and Paruthiveeran (2007) by Ameer Sultan were showcased at Berlinale previously, but they did not premiere at the festival.

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